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Hey guys! Happy Almost Halloween! *Throws a pumpkin at you* A word of warning for this week’s story, since it’s Halloween I wrote a story that’s darker than usual. That being said I hope you enjoy! Halloween is my favorite holiday so this was fun to write. Stay nerdy!—Little Snake

Everyone was gone. It was a bloodbath and they were all gone. Both sides: dead. Only him, only me… only us is left. I look up and he is already meeting my eyes. That face of his, it used to be so full of humor and life, but now it is contorted with grief. “Anthony…” he takes a step forward, “please, I’m so-”

“No,” I cut him off, “you don't get to apologize.” I stand my ground, not giving in to him. This man that used to be my friend. This creature I once called brother. “I trusted you.” My voice wavers and I scold myself for still caring.

He’s almost to me now and I fight the urge to step back. “I never wanted any of this to happen,” He tries to plead with me but I only scoff. “You have to believe me!”

“Believe you?” I step towards him - my voice rising, “Why would I believe you when you and your people just killed everyone single one of my comrades!” I see the desperation in his face but I don’t care. “Tell me the truth, Janus!”

“Anthony, I -” He tries to reach out to me but I push his arm away.

“Don’t touch me!” Glaring at him I pick up the sword closest to me, not caring that it’s still wet with the blood a fallen soldier. “Why did you betray me?” I say softer this time. Janus was my friend. We laughed together, cried together… grew up together. Then the war started and even that wasn’t enough to tear us apart. But somehow, we ended on opposite sides with the dead surrounding us.

“I didn’t betray you,” I want to tell him to stop lying but he holds up his hand to stop me. “Please let me finish, and then you can kill me if you still wish too.” I will want to - kill him, that is - but I’m curious and something in Janus’ voice tells me he truly believes what he’s about to say.

I lower the sword in my hand and he continues. “Do you remember the little town we were stationed in a few months ago? And the house we stayed in?”

A hazy recollection creeps into my mind. I remember nothing of the town or the house, but two faces come out clear. “The twins,” I say suddenly, startling him, “A boy and girl about 16 years old, right?” He nods and I let out a soft laugh, “they pulled the craziest stunts. Remember that one time they took your clothes and hung them in their front yard tree?” Janus and I laugh and it almost feels like how we used to be. But then I remember, he betrayed me, and now he must pay for his actions. A solemn look goes across my face as I remembers where we are.

“They really were a unique group.” His face becomes dark, “But they weren’t all fun in games.” I don’t understand what he is trying to say so I motion for him to continue. “It turns out that there allegiance didn’t lie with us like they said it did.

“They were spies?” It starts to make sense to me now. “Is that why you pushed for us to stay with them?” He takes a step backwards as I raise the bloodied sword up. “You were working with them!”

“Anthony please!” Janus puts his hands up to try and calm me down, “let me finish.” He says quietly. “When I found out, I tried to warn warn you.” I remember how he seemed to suddenly distrust them a few days into our stay. “But they were so nice and persuasive so I thought I was just being stupid.” He looks up to the grey, lifeless sky. “And when they tried to get me to become a spy like them, I was surprised. I didn’t want to believe it.”

“But you ended up saying yes to their offer.” My voice is hard as steel and cuts through the silence of the battlefield like a blade.

Janus looks back down at me, the desperation is back in his eyes. “I said no! I would never betray my country or, most importantly, you like that.”

I lower my sword and he takes a hesitant step back to me. “But then how -”

“It’s you!” He blurts out suddenly. “They weren’t happy with my rejection but instead of hurting me, they went after you.” I’m taken back but I don’t remember much of our time in the village so I have no way of knowing if he’s lying.

“What did they do to me, Janus?”

“They snuck into our room the night before we were supposed to leave.” I’m rooted to the spot as he walks up to me. Close enough that he could steal my sword with just the flick of his wrist. “They-” a choked sob cuts him off, “They poisoned you. Gave you a potion that made you turn against what you knew was right.” he finally gets out.

“What?” No longer does anything make sense.

“And before I could do anything they had already left.” He reaches out as if to touch me, but stops himself before he can. “I didn’t betray you, Anthony. It’s you who betrayed me.”

“No,” I say,pushing him away from me. A buzzing has started in my head and I can’t get rid of it. “I’m not the one who betrayed you!” I push him again and the force of it causes him to fall to his back. “You betrayed me! Stop lying to me!” This has gone on long enough. I let him voice his excuses and that’s all they ended up being. Petty, distrustful excuses.

I raise the sword over my head as he tries to scramble away from me. The buzzing over-powers my senses. “Anthony please don’t do this! Anthony!” Janus’ screams can be heard as I swing the sword down straight into his chest.

When the sword finds its mark, I am thrown off my feet by an invisible blast. I’m slammed into boulder and all of a sudden the buzzing in my head stops. Memories that I forgot I had come rushing back to me and I remember the village.I remember the twins and the poison as it seeped into my bloodstream. My ears are ringing as I sit up but all thoughts of my soreness fly out the window when I see a nearly lifeless body a few feet in front of me.

I stand up quickly, ignoring the dizziness and rushing over to my friends side. “Janus!” I kneel next to him, taking his head into my arms. “No! Come on, stay with me!” I just got my memories of him back. I can’t lose him now.

He coughs and weakly opens his eyes. “Anthony?” I see the wariness in his eyes, “Do you remember me?” He coughs and blood drips out the corner of his mouth. I move him so he’s propped up more in my lap.

“Yes, it’s really me now,” I smile even as tears fall down my face, “I’m so sorry Janus. I’m so so sorry.”

“Shh,” he tries to raise his arm but winces and drops it back down. “I’m just glad you’re okay now.”

His eyes start to close and I shake him until they open again. “Stay with me Janus, please!” In my mind, I know that there’s nothing to be done, but I can’t let him go.

“I’m so-” He’s starting to lose conscious again. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t save you sooner.” With one last small smile his eyes close for good.

No no no! I shake him until the soreness in my arms comes back to me. I gather him closer in my arms as sobs rip through my chest. I killed Janus. I killed my best friend.

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Hey there! We are Little Lion and Little Snake, which are nicknames we gave each other based on our Harry Potter houses! We hope you enjoy our works, and leave us a comment or two to let us know what you did (or didn't) like about them!Head over to "Meet The Authors" to read more about Scarlet Tea and Silver Ink's founders